Evidence Based Practice/Research at Lourdes
Evidence-based practice means
using the best evidence available to care for patients and their families. This includes integrating research findings with clinical judgment, patient
and family values, and available resources. At Lourdes, evidence-based nursing practice
is consistent with the Stetler Model of Research Utilization as follows:
- Nurse who thinks critically and is knowledge-oriented rather than rule-oriented;
- Nurse who uses the best evidence available to validate, refute, or improve
a practice;
- User of the research process I – Nurse who uses individual components of the research
process, (e.g. random sampling
or pilot testing);
- User of research process II – Nurse who uses the research process for quality improvement
(e.g. asks a question; collects data; interprets data; and implements change based on
the best evidence); or
- Competent user of research – Nurse who translates research into practice (e.g. identifies
an issue
or problem based on analysis of current knowledge and practice; searches the literature
to find out what is known, then identifies what is not known; evaluates the evidence;
chooses interventions or changes practice based on the best evidence; and evaluates the outcome).
Nurses at Lourdes are actively engaged in research as Principal
Investigators or Co-Investigators.